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Ford Has a Patent to Put a Movie Projector Into the SUV Liftgate

Ford may be looking to bring more entertainment into your life, by building it right into your next SUV or crossover, according to a recently published patent.
Ford patent for built-in movie theater projector mounted to the SUV liftgate 5 photos
Photo: United States Patent and Trademark Office
Ford patent for built-in movie projector that doubles as a floodlightFord patent for built-in movie projector that doubles as a floodlightFord patent for built-in movie projector that doubles as a floodlightFord patent for built-in movie projector that doubles as a floodlight
Originally filed in 2017 but published recently – and uncovered by The Drive –, the patent mentions a video projector mounted to the SUV liftgate, which would act as a video projector in primary mode and floodlight in secondary mode. Ford tells the publication that not all patents filed by them will translate into an actual marketable product since they “submit patents on new inventions as a normal course of business,” but if this were ever to become reality, it would combine fun and practicality in one product.

“The video projector may be mounted to a vehicle liftgate, which is rotatable between a closed position and an open position. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the video projector is configured to project video in a direction away from the vehicle when the liftgate is in the open position,” the patent reads.

This way, it would deliver solid entertainment on the go, which would make it ideal for long family vacations or shorter fishing / hunting trips with friends, for example. It would be a “convenient and multi-purpose entertainment accessory,” as Ford puts it.

“In the secondary mode, the video projector may function as a floodlight, insect-attracting light, bug zapper (more formally known as an electric insect killer), a reverse light, or a brake light, as examples,” the patent adds.

This would add an extra layer of practicality to the projector and make it more versatile. However, for that to happen, Ford would have to find a workaround for the issue of inserting a sensitive device into a part of the car that’s meant to be slammed shut.

The Drive adds that, if this were ever to become an actual offering in Ford’s catalog, it would probably also include connections to our other devices, from smartphones to laptops. The pics in the gallery show how this built-in movie theater projector would work.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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